Out of the Darkness

Product Notes

Avantguarde EMERGES 'OUT OF THE DARKNESS' WITH THEIR DEBUT RELEASE ...you are never changing, you brought me from the dark to the light... (Silver Spring, MD) Avantguarde is a Maryland-based soul/rock trio ready to burst through your speakers and knock you out with their debut release-- OUT OF THE DARKNESS (AGE Records). This electrifying collection of 15 songs encompasses the best this band has to offer. From the hard rocking guitar riffage, to the lush harmonies and pummeling drums, 'Out of the Darkness' takes you on a journey into another world. As they arrive on the scene with an explosive new release, Avantguarde has a fresh take on what the world considers a new generation of progressive/metal. With their impassioned and aggressive style of playing, this band indulges the listener to an unequivocally original brand of rock. They raise the bar on melody by stepping into new vocal and harmonic territory. The technical mastery and interplay of the guitar and bass work is vivid and expressive. The keys and strings add yet another sonic layer, rounding out their unparalleled sound. Avantguarde is comprised of three friends and incredible multi-instrumentalists-- bassist Kris Boyd, guitarist Apostolis Ventouris and vocalist/drummer/keyboardist Pete Garza all hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland. This band has come a long way since their beginning. Flashback five years and see them develop as a jazz/progressive combo, allowing them to emerge slowly onto the east-coast music scene as one of the finest bands to come out of the Washington-Metropolitan area. The music of Avantguarde combines the influences of each skilled band member ranging from hard rock bands like Mudvayne and Pantera, to classic rock acts including Peter Gabriel and Queen, to unique touches of classical and gospel such as Fred Hammond and The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, thus explaining the originality of the sophisticated sound that is achieved on 'Out of the Darkness.' When Avantguarde began tracking this new release in their home recording facility, they spent a good chunk of time creating an entire album, but decided they could make it sound even better. Back to the drawing board they went and re-recorded 'Out of the Darkness' and obtained a sound that satisfied everyone. They took their finished tracks to 10-time platinum/gold mixing engineer Ken Schubert (Mary J. Blige, Amerie) who then completed their debut as it sounds today. ...Life keeps changing; Every day there's something more... The songs of 'Out of the Darkness' paint a picture of a man's journey through life. It begins with his struggles and how he handles them, and moves on to his realization of his desire to change. It then concludes with his transformation and acceptance of his new life of faith. These universal concepts allow for any listener to easily step into the heart of Avantguarde. 'We have the same mission and long-term goals,' explained vocalist and primary songwriter Pete Garza. 'As a band we have open communication, focus and determination; we all know our place in making this work.' There is a certain magic and power when Avantguarde perform together live. They strive to express themselves through their music and accomplish that with every note they play, as they attempt to redefine a genre that is always looking for a new and driven force. They want to inspire, encourage and entertain each listener-- they hope that with 'Out of the Darkness' they have done just that. ...I feel like I'm free for the very first time; Closing that door opened up my eyes...

Avantguarde EMERGES 'OUT OF THE DARKNESS' WITH THEIR DEBUT RELEASE ...you are never changing, you brought me from the dark to the light... (Silver Spring, MD) Avantguarde is a Maryland-based soul/rock trio ready to burst through your speakers and knock you out with their debut release-- OUT OF THE DARKNESS (AGE Records). This electrifying collection of 15 songs encompasses the best this band has to offer. From the hard rocking guitar riffage, to the lush harmonies and pummeling drums, 'Out of the Darkness' takes you on a journey into another world. As they arrive on the scene with an explosive new release, Avantguarde has a fresh take on what the world considers a new generation of progressive/metal. With their impassioned and aggressive style of playing, this band indulges the listener to an unequivocally original brand of rock. They raise the bar on melody by stepping into new vocal and harmonic territory. The technical mastery and interplay of the guitar and bass work is vivid and expressive. The keys and strings add yet another sonic layer, rounding out their unparalleled sound. Avantguarde is comprised of three friends and incredible multi-instrumentalists-- bassist Kris Boyd, guitarist Apostolis Ventouris and vocalist/drummer/keyboardist Pete Garza all hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland. This band has come a long way since their beginning. Flashback five years and see them develop as a jazz/progressive combo, allowing them to emerge slowly onto the east-coast music scene as one of the finest bands to come out of the Washington-Metropolitan area. The music of Avantguarde combines the influences of each skilled band member ranging from hard rock bands like Mudvayne and Pantera, to classic rock acts including Peter Gabriel and Queen, to unique touches of classical and gospel such as Fred Hammond and The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, thus explaining the originality of the sophisticated sound that is achieved on 'Out of the Darkness.' When Avantguarde began tracking this new release in their home recording facility, they spent a good chunk of time creating an entire album, but decided they could make it sound even better. Back to the drawing board they went and re-recorded 'Out of the Darkness' and obtained a sound that satisfied everyone. They took their finished tracks to 10-time platinum/gold mixing engineer Ken Schubert (Mary J. Blige, Amerie) who then completed their debut as it sounds today. ...Life keeps changing; Every day there's something more... The songs of 'Out of the Darkness' paint a picture of a man's journey through life. It begins with his struggles and how he handles them, and moves on to his realization of his desire to change. It then concludes with his transformation and acceptance of his new life of faith. These universal concepts allow for any listener to easily step into the heart of Avantguarde. 'We have the same mission and long-term goals,' explained vocalist and primary songwriter Pete Garza. 'As a band we have open communication, focus and determination; we all know our place in making this work.' There is a certain magic and power when Avantguarde perform together live. They strive to express themselves through their music and accomplish that with every note they play, as they attempt to redefine a genre that is always looking for a new and driven force. They want to inspire, encourage and entertain each listener-- they hope that with 'Out of the Darkness' they have done just that. ...I feel like I'm free for the very first time; Closing that door opened up my eyes...